Faculty and Matters

Lees, Adrian

Emeritus ProfessorJohn Moores University Liverpool, United Kingdom

Adrian Lees received the B.Sc. degree in Physics (1972), and the Ph.D. in Biomechanics (1977) from the University of Leeds . He joined the Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences at Liverpool John Moores University in 1980 as a biomechanist, retired in 2011 and is currently Emeritus Professor of Biomechanics. In 2003 he was awarded Doktor Honoris Causa from the Academy of Physical Education, Warsaw.

His research interests cover both sport and rehabilitation biomechanics. With regard to sport biomechanics, he has a particular interest in sport technique and its application to soccer. He has also worked as a consultant to the British Athletics Federation with a particular focus on the Long and Triple Jump events. With regard to rehabilitation biomechanics, he has developed and conducted research programmes into wheelchair performance and amputee gait.

Professor Lees is a Fellow of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences and the European College of Sports Sciences. He is the author of over 15 books and book chapters, and over 110 peer reviewed scientific research papers.

Matters

An overview of biomechanics applied to football
This lecture will discuss the areas of application of biomechanics to football including the main football skills and football equipment. It will also take an historical perspective comparing and contrasting the type and level of research conducted over the last 40 years. This will provide a platform for the remaining lectures in this series.

Measurement and modelling issues
The use of automated 3D measurement systems are commonplace now in biomechanics research. There are some issues relating to these such as 1. Methods used in biomechanics for 3D computations; 2. The musculoskeletal model used including target locations and joint axis definitions; 3. Segmental data used for inclusion in the model, smoothing choices; 4. The interpretation of 3D angles (Cardan sequences); 5. Errors of measurement; the effect of foot-ball impact on data

Kinematics, kinetics and technique in kicking
3D kinematic and kinetic data will be provided and discussed in relation to kicking technique.

Muscle activity in kicking
Kicking performance is related to muscle strength and activity. Electromyography is a useful method to evaluate the muscle activity generated during kicking. Some issues and recently published data will be presented.

Foot-ball impact and ball flight
The interaction between the foot and ball during contact is complex but explains the subsequence ball flight. These interactions will be explored in the final lecture of this series.